Food, flavours and forts of Alwar

Tanvi Bhatia

The scent of freshly baked milk welcomes as you enter the market of Alwar in Rajasthan. The city is known for its lip-smacking dessert kalakand or milk cake. One of the shopkeepers implores, “Didi, our dessert is ‘world famous,’ try it before we run out of it”. The dessert, which is unique to Alwar, is prepared in specially designed ovens that bake the milk mixture just right. It gives grainy yet smooth white texture on the outside and golden brown in the centre inside. This also adds to the flavour of the kalakand. One bite of this dessert, and you are sure to want more!

Alwar is also known for its delicious chhole kulche, pyaaz ki kachori and rabri falooda. Come evenings, and the marketplace is abuzz with a lot of activity. A large number of people can be seen enjoying their favourite delicacies, at times, queuing up to have a piece of kalakand. The demand for Alwar kalakand from all over the world has placed the city on the world map.

Besides its delicious food, there’s lot more to explore in the city of Alwar, which is also known as Matsya Nagar. Situated in the north-eastern part of Rajasthan, Alwar is known for its forts, palaces and scenic hills. Bala Quila is one such fort. It is the only unconquered fort. Located nearly 300 m above the city, it is also the highest point in Alwar offering breathtaking view of the city and the surrounding forest. On your way to this fort, you may be greeted by sambar and deer. They are happy to pose for a picture too! You might even get lucky to spot a tiger or leopard in the surrounding jungles. Although the fort is in a shambles, it is worth a visit.

The city also houses the beautiful Vinay Vilas Palace, also known as the city palace. Once inside, you can find a striking blend of both Mughal and Rajput architecture. The palace encompasses a lake with several temples on its bank and a garden, which was more of a picnic spot as many families enjoyed the opulent green surroundings. Here you can find the Moosi Maharani ki Chhatri, which was built in the honour of Rani Moosi, as she had committed sati. The Chhatri, or an elevated dome-shaped portico, is a two-storey structure. The upper level is built from white marble with magnificent arches and exquisitely carved ceilings. The palace also houses a court of Alwar, along with other government offices and a museum. Most men can be seen dressed in black and white attire around the entrance of this palace!

There are several other attractions in this city such as Moti Doongri, which is known for housing a mosque and a temple next to each other; Garbhaji Falls is known for its green surrounding and rocky road. The water is scanty but the stream is continuous. The Bhangarh fort is believed to be haunted. Hence, entry is restricted to daytime only. You can spot many monkeys and langoors in the vicinity of this fort. A walk around the huge fort compound takes you back in time.